“I’ve Always Respected the People of Qatar”- Hollywood Star and Body Builder Arnold Schwarzenegger Had Once Advocated FIFA World Cup 2022 to Be in USA

The official bid process for the FIFA 2018 and 2022 World Cups started in 2009. Arnold Schwarzenegger, then Governor of California, backed the bid to host the FIFA World Cup in the USA.

FIFA invited bids back in for the World Cup 2018 and 2022 back in March 2009. England, Russia, joint bids from Netherlands and Belgium, and joint bids from Portugal and Spain were the official bids for the World Cup in 2018. Ultimately, Russia won the bid for the 2018 edition. The US was one of the strong bidders for the 2022 edition.

Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would love to attend the Qatar World Cup

Qatar was in the middle of various controversies since it won the bid to host the World Cup. However, Arnold Schwarzenegger was full of praise for Qatar and its people. He also backed the country for successfully hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The former California Governor was also ready to visit Qatar to attend the World Cup.

“I have always respected the people of Qatar. If the opportunity ever came for me to attend Qatar, I wouldn’t say no,” Arnold said.

He continued: “I hear so much about the new state-of-the-art stadiums Qatar is building and how fast it’s developing. I am sure they will put on a show for the world to see.”

Schwarzenegger is a huge soccer fan and thinks that the sport inspires fans. He used to play soccer in his hometown in Austria and believes the sport taught him the importance of fitness, discipline, and fair play. He was a prominent voice for the USA’s bid to host FIFA World Cup in 2022.

Schwarzenegger supported USA’s bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup

The United States, along with Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Qatar, was part of the official bidding process for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Mexico withdrew the bid on the economic ground, whereas FIFA rejected the bid from Indonesia due to a lack of support from the Indonesian Government.

The California Governor in 2009, Schwarzenegger, was very vocal about the US bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.

In his statement, Schwarzenegger said, “It’s the roar of millions of soccer fans across the United States calling for the FIFA World Cup. They are rooting for it to come to America. Soccer is the number one sport in the world, and the World Cup is the world’s number one sporting event. People everywhere are passionate about the game, and that’s why I want to be part of the USA bid committee and bring the World Cup to our country in 2018 or 2022.”

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Although, Qatar won the bid ahead of the USA and got to host the World Cup in 2010. The United States will host the competition in 2006 with Canada and Mexico. That will be a moment of pride for the nation and US soccer fans.

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We are fast approaching the final stages of the Qatar FIFA World Cup. Share your thoughts on the tournament as a whole.